Teeeitoey



(160 Model.)

0. T. GRATTAN.

HAND CORN PLANTER.

Pateflted Nov. 28, 188 2.

w K a WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N4 PUERs. Phmu-mhn n her, wamin um D Q UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

' ORLANDO T. GRATTAN, OF IVANHOE P. 0., COUNTY OF BROOKINGS, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

HAND CORN-APLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,220, dated November 28, 1882,

Application filed July 26, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ORLANDO TISDEL GRAT- TAN, of Ivanhoe P. 0., Elkton Station, county of Brookings, and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand Corn-Planters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawin gs, forming a part of this specification, iuwhlch similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improvement, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of'the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same, ,taken through theline m :0, Fig.1.

The object of this inventionis to facilitate the planting of corn, and also to promote convenience in operating hand corn-planters.

The invention consistsin ahaudcorn-planter constructed with a seed-box having a seeddropping slide operated by a hinged bar, with which is also connected by a bolt and spring the hinged jaw for dropping the seed. The seed-box is provided with a spring-catch for holding the hinged bar, and which isoperated to release the hinged bar by a cord connected with the pivoted handle of the planter, as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents the seed-box, the front of which is extended upward, and has a rearwardly-projecting handle, B, pivoted to its upper end. The sides, front, and back of the seedbox A extend below its bottom, and the back is rnadea little shorter than the other three parts.

To the inner side of the lower'part of the back of the seed-boxAis bolted the upper end of the rear jaw, O, which is inclined forward to the central line of the said seed-box, and is a then bent downward vertically.

front plate of the said box A, and is attached to the inner edge of the bar H.

Upon the outer part of the bolt F is placed a spiral spring, I, the inner end of which rests against the downwardly-projecting front of the seed-box A, and its outer end rests against the inner side of the bar H,so that the tension of the spring [will force the upper part of the said bar H and the bolt F outward, and will draw the upper end of the jaw D forward, forcing its lower end against the jaw G. The lower end of the bar H is attached to the outer part of a plate, J, the inner end of which is hinged to the lower edge of the downwardlyproject-ing front of the seed-box A.

To the forward side of the lower part of the bar H is secured a foot, K, by a bolt, L, with its lower end projecting below the hinged plate J. The upper part of the foot K is slotted to .receive the bolt L, so that the said foot can be adjusted by loosening the said bolt L.

The upper end of the bar H, when forced inward, is caught automatically and held by the catch M, which slides in keepers N, attached to the front of the seed-box A, and is held down by a spiral spring, 0, placed upon it between the keepers N.

To the upper end of the spring-catch M is attached the end of a cord, P, which passes through a guide-hole in the upwardly-projecting part of the front of the seed-box A, and is attached to the pivoted handle B, so that the catch M can be drawn upward to release the bar H by slightly turning the said handle B.

Q, is the seed-dropping slide, which rests upon the bottom of the seed-box A and works through cross-slots in the front and rear sides of the said seed-box A.

To the forward end of the slide Q is attached a loop, R, throughwhich the upper part of the bar H passes, so that the seed-dropping slide will be operated by the movements of the said bar.

In the slide Q is formed an aperture, S, to receive the seed, carry it out of the seed-box, and drop it into the spout T, down which it slides into the space between the jaws O D. The slide Q is slotted from its aperture S to its free end, and in the said slot is placed a strip, U, which is secured in place by a bolt, V, passing through the parts'of the end of the said slide, so that by loosening the bolt V the same time by slightly turning the said round.

strip U can be adjusted to enlarge or contract the aperture S, according as more or less seed is required for a hill.

To the inner side of the front of the seedbox A is secured a brush, IV, by a bolt, X, which passes through a hole in the brush W and a slot in the frontof the seed-box, so that the said brush can be readily adjusted as required. The brush Wis designed to keep the slide Q from becoming clogged by the seed getting into the slot in the front of the feedbox A, and is formed by clamping bristles between two metaliic plates.

The seed conducting spout T is secured in an opening in the rear plate of the seed-box, just below the bottom of the said seed-box.

In using the planter the jaws O D, when close together, are forced into the soil to the proper depth. As the foot K comes in contact with the soil the upper end of the planter is forced forward, which forces the upper end of the bar H inward until it is caught and held by the catch M. The inward movement of the upper end of the bar H opens the jaws G D and allows the seed to drop out into the opening made in the soil by the opening of the said jaws. As the planter is being raised from the ground thejaws O D are held open by the bar H and catch M, so that all the seed will be left in the ground. As the planter is raised from the ground the operator turns the handle B, which raises the catch M, releases the bar H, draws the slide Q forward to again receive seed, and closes the jaws O,.ready to be again thrust into the soil to plant another hill. Two hills can be planted at a time by connecting two planters together at the proper distance apart by one or more cross-bars. In this case the handles B are replaced by a round pivoted to the upwardly projecting fronts of the two planters, Wllit'il round serves as a handle in carrying the planter, and to its middle part are attached the two cords P, so that the two catches M can be raised at the If desired, the loop B may be omitted and the connection between the slide Q and the bar H made by any suitable means.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten t 1. A hand corn-planter constructed sub stantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of the seed-box A, the pivoted handle B, the stationary jaw O, the hinged jaw D, the bolt F, spring I, the hinged bar H, thatoperates the jaw D and the seed-dropping slide Q, and the spring-catch M O and its cord 1?, as set forth.

2. In a hand corn-planter, the combination, with the seed-box A, the pivoted handle B, the hinged jaw D, and the seed-dropping slide Q, of the bolt and spring F I, the hinged bar H, the foot K, the spring-catch M O, and the cord P, substantially as herein shown and described,

whereby the hinged jaw and the seed-dropping slide will both be operated by the movements of the said hinged bar, as set forth.

3. The combination, with box A, slide Q, spring I, and loop 1t, ot' the angled bar H, having the end of its short arm hinged to the bottom of box A, and a spring-held long arm connected with the said slide by the loop It, as shown and described.

4. In a hand corn-planter, the combination, with the hinged jaw D and the hinged bar H, of the bolt F and spring I, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said jaw will be operated by the movement of the said hinged bar, as set forth.

5. In a hand corn-planter, the combination, with the spring-catch M O and the pivoted handle B, of the cord 1?, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the springcatch can be withdrawn to release the hinged bar by turning the said handle, as set forth.

ORLANDO 'llSDEL GRAITAN.

Witnesses:

Jo. B. SooBEY, A. J. HERSEY. 

